Nutrition and the secular trend of growth

Japan has been experiencing ever more rapid socioeconomic development and changes in eating habit, especially in children, since the end of the Second World War. These occurrences (westernized life style) have greatly affected the growth of Japanese. Nutrition is the most important factor in promoting the physical growth in childhood during food supply shortage, and for a relatively short term the secular trend in linear growth will reach a plateau if the food supply is adequate, but the secular trend is also limited. Since the condition for this limitation should be comprised by genetic factors, we are most interested in investigating and analyzing these genetic factors in the near future. Overeating adversely affects growth in childhood, with most common representatives of these ill effects being atherogenic risk factors such as obesity, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia.